WOOD, Ernest William
| Service Number: | 78 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 4 December 1915, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 41st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Brisbane, Queensland, 13 January 1897 |
| Home Town: | Brisbane, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Brisbane Normal School |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Liver cancer, Brisbane, Queensland, 2 March 1963, aged 66 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 4 Dec 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Brisbane, Queensland | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 May 1916: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Private, 78, 41st Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Demosthenes embarkation_ship_number: A64 public_note: '' |
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| 18 May 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 78, 41st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Demosthenes, Sydney |
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Ernie was a Brisbane lad whose father was the water engineer residing at the cisterns at Wickham Terrace Brisbane.
He was christened at the All Saints church Wickham Terrace where his name (and others of his in laws) are recorded in the "ladies chapel" in the church.
He was a member of the Brisbane naval cadets where he learnt signalling (though he was red/green colourblind).
He enlisted at Bells paddock and did his training there.
The 41st took part in the Anzac parade in 1916 prior to their leaving for overseas. (There is a photograph in the Oxley Library Brisbane of the march through Petrie Bight Brisbane , showing the 41st placard).
He told of running over the mud in Zonnebeke (Belgium) with shells landing in the mud and not exploding until one landed between his feet and went off. He received a shrapnel wound in his left leg and a broken humerous in his right arm. He was rehabilitated to England and returned to Australia on the 5th April 1918.
He worked as a clerk with the Queensland Lighthouse and Shipping until his retirement.
His dog tags and other memoribilia were presented to the Zonnebeke museum on permanent loan in 2010. The museum is within shouting distance from where he was injured.
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